The Interactive Effects of Swimming High Intensity Interval Training and Resveratrol Supplementation on E1α-Subunit Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Enzyme in the Hippocampus of Aged Rats

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase E1 enzyme is a heterotetrameric α-ketoacid decarboxylase that oxidizes Pyruvate to Acetyl-CoA. Increasing in the age results in phosphorylation of E1α-subunit Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Enzyme (PDH-E1α) in mitochondria. Furthermore, PDC activity in brain is related to PDH-E1α expression. Evidence shows that specific structure of hippocampus makes great responses to exercise. Prior studies have reported biological activities of resveratrol (RSV) such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neural protection activities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of swimming high intensity interval training (HIIT) and resveratrol supplementation on PDH-E1α in hippocampus of aged rats.

45 male Wistar rats with an age of 20 months were randomly divided into five groups (control (C), Swimming HIIT (S-HIIT), Swimming HIIT with resveratrol supplementation (S-HIIT-R), resveratrol supplementation (R) and solvent of resveratrol supplementation (SR). Swimming HIIT and resveratrol supplementation groups performed the exercise and received resveratrol(10 mg/kg/day, gavage) for six weeks. All rats were sacrificed and the brain was extracted immediately and the hippocampus was separated. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to normalize the research data. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated measures with Tukey’s post hoc test at a significant level of 0.05. The hypothesis test was performed using SPSS software version 20.

Western Blot method showed that Swimming HIIT with resveratrol supplementation and resveratrol alone increased PDH-E1α level significantly (P=0.007 and P=0.047,respectively). Furthermore, Swimming HIIT increased PDH-E1α level but not significantly (P=0.383).

It appears that resveratrol alone and with exercise can influence levels of hippocampus mitochondrial metabolism key proteins such as PDH-E1α in aged rats and regulated PDC activity, TCA cycle and hippocampal cell metabolism.